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Tag: Measurement

 

 
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Philanthropy

VolunteerMatch Launches Cool Annual Report

You don’t often see the words “cool” and “annual report” in the same sentence. For the most part nonprofit annual reports are either “compliance documents” or highly polished brochures that donors flip through and then put in the recycling.

But a few nonprofits have been playing with new formats for annual reports that help donors better understand their organization. The key to an annual report being useful and compelling for a donor is that the report... (continue reading this blog post)

By Sean Stannard-Stockton | 1 | Aug. 17, 2010
 
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Social Innovations

REDF Leverages First Social Innovation Fund Grant

As we prepared our application for the federal Social Innovation Fund (SIF) there were times that I struggled with a hard-earned skepticism about the latest silver bullet solution to domestic social problems. I’ve spent 25 years trying to find ways to counter the destructive effects of chronic poverty. A $50 million federal program—a fraction of the resources needed—did not seem to merit the intense focus it attracted from the social sector.

But one remarkable thing about people is that hope springs eternal even in the most dire circumstances. Fanning that resilient and optimistic flame is at the center of the work of the social sector. And it’s at the heart of the success... (continue reading this blog post)

By Carla I. Javits | 2 | Jul. 29, 2010
 
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Nonprofits

A Straw-Man Plan for Doing Good Better

In my last SSIR blog post, I mused about the potential for a Doing Good Better Initiative to find and nurture those positive-outlier nonprofits that are highly motivated to take the leap to managing to outcomes—and, over time, help make them the norm in our sector.

Here are some elements of what a “Doing Good Better” Initiative might look like... (continue reading blog post)

By Mario Morino | Jul. 28, 2010
 
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Nonprofits

Minding the Gap

Okay, so you're a change agent at a traditional nonprofit organization—or you're a social entrepreneur who has just started a social enterprise. You've got your seed funding and a rock-solid business plan. Now what? How do you inspire people, from your CEO to rural farmers to consumers, to change their ways to do good (or at least better) for society?

Don't laugh. How to get people to care more about "doing good" is one of the hottest new topics making the rounds of this season's social innovation conferences. Referred to more clinically as "the neuroscience of change"... (continue reading this blog post)

By Marcia Stepanek | 2 | Jul. 22, 2010
 

Social Innovations

The Rise of Evidence-Based Grantmaking

One of the most prevalent themes on this blog and in much of the high profile conversations in philanthropy, is the idea that grants and donations should be made based on evidence that they will actually make a difference. On the one hand, this seems like an entirely uncontroversial statement. On the other hand, it is widely agreed that most people and even most large foundations do not base their giving on any significant level of evidence... (continue reading this blog post)

By Sean Stannard-Stockton | 2 | May. 18, 2010
 

Nonprofits

How Our Tools Define “Community”

I've talked about issues and ideas over the last year about the use of certain tools or platforms in the social technology for social impact sector, from Causes to Ideablob to Ning. These conversations have moved through a version of the stages of grief: outrage, doubt, fear, wonder. We're now, as a community, emerging into a great place and ready to figure out what we do now... (continue reading this blog post)

By Amy Sample Ward | May. 7, 2010
 

Social Innovations

Skoll World Forum 2010 Kicks Off in Oxford

The Skoll World Forum on Social Entrepreneurship kicks off today in Oxford, United Kingdom. I have been lucky enough to be living in Oxford since September, and now feel even more fortunate to be part of the social media team for this exciting event.

For coverage from past years, check out posts from other SSIR writers from 2007 and 2009.

This year’s theme is “catalysing collaboration for large scale change.” While “collaboration” seems to be a logical operating choice for social entrepreneurs... (continue reading this blog post)

By Grace Augustine | Apr. 14, 2010
 

Nonprofits

The Heartache of the Failed Hail Mary

When I speak to groups I often tell them of growing up in Minneapolis and the more than one hundred groups aimed to help my fellow neighbors and I move out of poverty. And as more and more organizations were created to help my community, the more I began to notice that there were still growing lines of those receiving free clothing at the “Free Store” on Nicollet Avenue or food from the Sabathani Food Pantry on 38th Street. The natural question for me, at that time, became that with more and more people rolling up their sleeves to help then why were there more and more people in those lines needing the help... (continue reading this blog post)

By John Brothers | 1 | Apr. 9, 2010
 

Nonprofits

Nonprofits Face Moment of Truth

Nonprofits still see no exit from the financial whipping they are taking from the battered economy.

Stressed by rising demand for services from people hurt by the economic tailspin, and by shrinking resources to meet that demand, nonprofits are giving a gloomy forecast about their ability to stay financially afloat... (continue reading this blog post)

By Todd Cohen | 1 | Mar. 29, 2010
 

Social Innovations

Obama’s Missed Opportunity to Change Charitable Giving

Last week the White House announced the charities that President Obama selected to receive the funds from his Nobel Peace Prize award. The President selected a variety of charities, mostly educational, as well as giving $250,000 to the Clinton-Bush Haiti Fund. The choices generally elicited praise, but I think the Obama White House missed a huge opportunity—you might even say Obama wasted the most valuable capital he had when making the announcement... (continue reading this blog post)

By Tim Ogden | 5 | Mar. 23, 2010
 

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Latest Newsletter

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    More nonprofits are managing their brands to create greater impact and organizational cohesion.

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    For-profit executives use business models—such as "low-cost provider" or "the razor and the razor blade"—as a shorthand way to describe...

  • Collective Impact | 43
     

    Large-scale social change requires broad cross-sector coordination, not the isolated intervention of individual organizations.

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    Designers have traditionally focused on enhancing the look and functionality of products. Recently, they have begun using design...

  • Jeff Skoll | 6
     

    Jeff Skoll is one of the most creative, generous, and effective philanthropists of his time. And at age 47, he’s just getting started.

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